LA Restaurateur Allegedly Poisoned Girlfriend To Cause Miscarriage

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) —A popular Los Angeles restaurateur is accused of poisoning his girlfriend to cause her to suffer a miscarriage.

Joshua Woodward, who was an investor in the now-closed Table 8 in Los Angeles and another outlet of the same eatery in Miami, pleaded not guilty to four counts of attempted murder on Wednesday after he turned himself in to police.

Prosecutors said the 40-year-old rubbed the drug misoprostol, which can terminate early-stage pregnancies, at least four times on his then-girlfriend in September and October 2009.

The woman, whose name has not been released, miscarried at 13 weeks.

She grew suspicious and called police, saying Woodward rubbed a white powder on her before the miscarriage.

Police arrested Woodward, but he was later released.

Although it’s unclear what finally led to charges being filed on Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Department officials said tests showed misoprostol on Woodward’s hands.

In a statement, Woodward’s attorney, Mark Werksman, said: “Joshua had nothing to do with the loss of his girlfriend’s baby. And the evidence marshaled against him is so weak and speculative.”